Chapter 2: The Cultural Environment Flashcards
How was a challenge of IB demonstrated in the German commercial?
The language differences caused confusion when it came to communicating effectively, and in this case made the officer ineffective in a life or death situation
How is the effect of culture on business displayed in the beer commercial (that takes place at the bar)?
The difference between cultures that are relationship vs. task oriented can cause miscommunication (even be detrimental) even when the same language is being used which is why it is so important for manager to understand the customs of the host environment
Why is culture so important?
There is a tendency in business to think that business is about the bottom line but if there is cultural understanding (trust) that can have a huge impact on that number
Is English the same everywhere?
No, English spoken in different countries can be interpreted differently, use words differently we shouldn’t assume that someone will understand because they speak English
Is there one global culture?
No, this ideal is only a surface image and skin deep there is little true cultural understanding. Travel and global media do lead to similarities between nations but also accentuates our differences.
What is the mostly widely spoken language?
Chinese, with 21% of the world population. English is only spoken by 8% but English-speaking countries account for 33% of world output
What are the determinants of culture?
Programming of the mind of a group of people centered around religion, political philosophy, economic philosophy, education, language, and social structure
How does culture affect behavior?
Culture -> attitudes, values, beliefs -> norms -> behavior and business is about BEHAVIOR
What are some cultural issues that could come up in a team setting?
- Trouble with accents/fluency
- Direct vs. indirect communication
- Hierarchy/authority views
- Decision-making (risk, independent)
- Task vs. relationship focus
We don’t see things as they are…
We see things as WE are.
What are some characteristics of national culture?
It is acquired (not inherited), gradual, ethnocentric, hard to change, and relative
What is a truth revealed by the Heineken commercial?
Our legal system is hugely misunderstood
Cultural dimensions
1) individualism v. collectivism
2) Equality v. hierarchy
3) Task v. relationship (report v. rapport)
4) Direct v. indirect
5) Maculinity v. femininity
6) High risk v. low risk
GlobeSmart Cultural Profile Dimensions
1) Independence vs. Interdependence
2) Egalitarian vs. Status
3) Risk vs. Certainty
4) Direct vs. Indirect
5) Task vs. Relationship
How did the Cross-Cultural meeting video demonstrate challenges?
Between the managers, timing (deadlines, expected dates) seemed to be a big issue because they all had different ideas
